8th Air Force 266
19 March 1944
Michael P Faley 100th BG Historian
Object Number - FRE 6915 - A battle damaged radio room position on a B-17 Flying Fortress of 100th BG. A direct hit by an 88mm killed the radio operator in Miss Irish , flown...
Description
V-Weapon sites in France are the targets for this mission. A combined force of 193 B-17s of 1st and 3rd Air Divisions are despatched. Mission Summary follows:
1st Air Division: 129 B-17s from: 303BG; 351BG; 379BG; 384BG; 401BG; and 457BG are despatched. 117 aircraft are effective on V-Weapon sites at Wizerneas and Watten, France. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 6KIA 4POW. 1 aircraft made forced landing in France but was later returned to England and salvaged at 1st Strategic Arms Depot at Troston, UK on 22-Apr-44 - 10RTD. 74 aircraft are damaged. 1 airman aboard a returning aircraft was WIA. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.
3rd Air Division: A combined force of 64 B-17s from: 95BG; 100BG; and 390BG are despatched. 56 are effective on the V-Weapon site at Marquise/Mimoyecques, France. There ar no aircraft losses, but 14 are damaged. 1 airman in a returning aircraft is WIA. There are no othr losses, casualties or claims in this element.
Mission Details
Watten, France
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG MISSION NO 15 - WATTEN, FRANCE 19 MARCH 1944 Twenty-four aircraft carried out a No Ball Mission to Watten, a large and important German anti-invasion fortification under construction twelve miles inland from Calais. This facilityWas considered to be one of the oldest and best developed, and possibly the most important structure of this type in the Pas-deCalais area. Major Hoffman was Air Commander and Lt. Bender was pilot. There was no wing assembly. The Group flew west ofthe briefed course and all craft missed the target. Heavy antiaircraft fire was encountered and thirteen planes were damaged but only one seriously.This was a Sunday afternoon mission. The Group was not alerted until noon, did not take off until 1615, and returnedat 2000. It was a quiet day over the Continent. Only 193 bombers were dispatched to western France. (Compiler 's Note: Though the site of an important anti invasion fortification, the hamlet of Walton was not shown on1944 French maps and is the subject of various spellings in mission reports.)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
Wizernes, France
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: V-weapon sites are targeted. Groups participating are part of 1st Bomb Division. No bomber gunner claims.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 343.98
- People killed in action: 6
- Prisoners of war: 4
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 129
- Aircraft effective: 117
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 74
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6962724
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38338409
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-667228
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wolf Pack
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
![Two airmen of the 303rd Bomb Group admire the nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Iza Vailable". Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Keystone Press Agency, 'Sacred' and U.S. Official Photograph O.W.I. [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407619.jpg.webp?itok=aEyghgX9)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Iza Vailable
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Queen Jeanie : Damn Yankee II
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Short Stride : Loma Lee : TS
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 29-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/ma15.html
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.
